Free Forget Me Not by Shannon K. Butcher Page A

made him feel as she did, and he feared that no one else ever would.
    He glanced through the window and saw her preparing food in the kitchen. The warm glow of her skin and her huge, dark eyes never ceased to delight him. She had no idea how rare a beauty she was, which only added to her appeal.
    The tight cling of her clothing displayed lush curves, reminding him all too keenly of how soft and pliant she was. His hands ached to slide over her once more and feel the satin warmth of her skin.
    Focus. He had to focus on Elina.
    But thoughts of Elina were dark and painful. The sight of his Adreeahbenwah eased his pain and washed away his grief. He could stare at her all day, watching her move through the kitchen, doing mystical things with her technology that ended in fragrant plates of food.
    Toren’s appetite had been overwhelming today, and without aid of his magic, he was helpless to provide for himself. He had not wanted to request more of her than he already had, but she had known about his hunger without him speaking a word. It was as if part of her was already tied to him even without any bindings or ceremony.
    Perhaps none was needed here. Maybe Obliterra was not as empty of magic as his kind thought—they simply did not understand the magic that dwelt here.
    Adreeahbenwah was proof that magic existed in a place it should not.
    The tool in his hands slipped free and clattered on the boards beneath his feet. She looked up at him, offering him a sweet smile through the window.
    The air in Toren’s lungs stilled. His entire body settled into a peaceful quiet as a stark realization set in.
    He was beginning to love her. Without any kind of magic to speed the process or drive doubts away. Her goodness drew him in and cradled him close. It filled him with a sense of contentment and peace every time he saw that she was happy.
    The thought of not seeing her again stretched out like a desolate wasteland in front of him, bleak and scoured with loneliness. He was not sure he could trek through that for the rest of his life. Or more accurately, he was not sure he wanted to.
    But his obligations to his family and his homeland had to come before his own personal desires. Only he knew of Grynar’s treachery and could prove his guilt. Once Toren was back on Sorsca, he would bring that proof before the council and force them to inflict justice upon his sister’s killer. They would send Grynar to Obliterra for his crime, and he would live here, powerless and stripped of memories of his life for the rest of his days.
    That thought gave Toren pause. What if Grynar found Adreeahbenwah or some other fragile human? If he was capable of killing his own gentle wife, then what evil would he do to those living here?
    Toren was not a stranger to killing. He had fought for his homeland countless times, defending it from invaders and predators. Ridding both Sorsca and Earth of Grynar’s evil seemed the patriotic thing to do. If killing Grynar meant forfeiting Toren’s life, then so be it. Elina’s murder would not go unanswered, nor would he allow Grynar to hurt innocent humans.
    Adria pushed through the door with two plates in her hands. One held some kind of smoky meat, and the other flat, breadlike discs. She set them down on a nearby chair. “How goes the gadget?”
    There were shadows beneath her eyes that had not been there when they had first met. He wiped his hands on his pants and slid his thumb along one of her bruises. “What caused this shadow? Are you ill?”
    “No, just tired. Don’t you guys get dark circles when you’re tired?”
    He shook his head. “Our power will falter and our hair becomes still.”
    She gripped a lock of hair between her fingers. It twirled its way around her hand and pulled her close. “I’ll never get used to that,” she said.
    “You should rest if you are tired.”
    “I’m fine. I’m more worried about you getting this thing done in time.”
    “It is nearly complete.”
    “I feel like